With the divine and righteous Moses and Aaron,
* the Prophets' choir today

rejoice th with gladness,
* seeing their prophecy fulfilled
now in our midst;
* for Thy Cross, O Christ our God,
* whereby Thou has redeemed us,
* shine th in the sight
of all * at the end and
fulfillment * of that which
they foretold in ancient times.
By their entreaties, have mercy upon us all.

Introduction by Father Demetrios Serfes:

The Eastern Orthodox Church commemorates both the Holy Prophets Moses,
Seer of God, and Aaron on September 4th. The Holy Prophet Moses has
certainly become the discussion of the day due to the recent Hollywood
film called "The Prince". In order to wisely guide ourselves spiritually
and our children in regards to the teachings of the Holy Orthodox Faith
about Prophets Moses and Aaron, we must fully understand that we are speaking
about Holy Prophets.

We know from Holy Scripture of the Old Testament that we have sixteen
Prophets, including those among what is generally known as the Four Major
(longer) Prophets-Esaias, Jermias, Ezekiel, and Daniel and Twelve Minor
(shorter) Prophets-Hosea (Osee), Joel, Amos, Obdios (Obadiah), Jonas (Jonah),
Michaeas (Michah), Naum (Nahum), Abbakoum (Habakkuk), and Malachias (Malachi).
The latter are called the "shorter" or "smaller" on account of the smaller
bulk of such of their prophecies as have come down to us in written form,
when contrasted with the writings of Prophet Esaias, Jermias or Ezekiel.
It should also be kept in mind that the word "Prophet" was also used

Holy Prophet Aaron

for
other illustrious Old Testament figures, including Aaron and Moses, Elias
and Eliseos, David and Solomon, Miriam and Huldah.

The Holy Prophets were the object of homilies, since they provided irrefutable
proof to demonstrate the divine oeconomy with Christ as central of whom
the Prophets' spoke. Most of the early Holy Fathers in the early
Church follow a Christocentric and ecclesiological interpretation.
Some of these Holy Fathers preferred allegorical or mystical interpretations,
while the writings of some are marked by a strong moralizing message.

Here is a general list of these Holy Fathers who wrote about the Holy
Prophets in the Old Testament: St. Cyril of Alexandria, St. Gregory
the Dialogist (c.540-604), St. Basil the Great (c.330-379), St. John Chrysostom
(c. 347-407), St. Athanasios (296-373), St. Justin the Martyr (+ 165),
St. Irenaeos (c.130-c. 236), St. Gregory of Nyssa (335-c. 395), St. Hilary
of Poitiers (+358), and St. John of Damascus (c.675-c.749).

St. Gregory the Dialogist distinguishes for us the various modes of
prophecy used in expressing distinctions of time: "Prophecy has three tenses:
the past of course, the present, and the future... We shall speak more
truly of the three tenses of prophecy if we quote the evidence of Holy
Writ. Prophecy concerning the future:

'Behold, the Virgin shall conceive
in the womb, and shall bring forth a son (Is. 7:14).'

Prophecy
concerning the past:

'In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth
(Gen. 1:1).'

For a man speaks of a time when man was not. A prophecy
about the present is when Paul the Apostle says:

'But if all keep on
prophesying, and some unbeliever or one unlearned should come in, he is
reproved by all, he is examined by all. And thus are the secrets
of his heart become manifest; and so falling upon his face, he will make
obedience to God, reporting that God is verily among you (I Cor. 14:24,
25).'

Indeed, when it is said, 'the secrets of the his heart
are made manifest,' it is truly shown that through the mode of prophecy
the Spirit does not predict what the future will be, but reveals what is.
How then may it be called the spirit of prophecy which lays bare no future
event but reports the present? In this case, attention must be paid to
what is rightly described as prophecy, not because it predicts further
events, but because it uncovers hidden truths." Now we can say that
it's the Holy Spirit that guided the Prophets, as well as spoke as they
saw and heard, this includes both the Holy Prophets Moses and Aaron.

Holy Scriptures (both the Old and New Testament) have taught us that
in many modes God may be seen and known. St. Irenaeos tells us that "it
was not by means of visions alone which were seen, and words which were
proclaimed, but also in actual works, that He (the Word of God) was
beheld by the Prophets, in order that through them He might prefigure and
show forth future events beforehand."

In reading the Old Testament in regards to both Holy Prophets Moses
and Aaron it's highly suggested that you use the Septuagint, the Greek
translation of the Hebrew Scriptures (the Septuagint can be obtained from:
Holy Cross Bookstore, 50 Goddard Avenue, Brookline, Ma. 02141).

Let us then as Orthodox Christians realize the importance of spiritually
understanding both the Holy Prophets Moses, and Aaron, as well as all the
Holy Prophets, can help us as a great source of inspiration and help towards
a better understanding. Beyond honors are they who are honored by prophecy,
for through them speaketh the Holy Spirit, the all-good God.

"The Prophet Moses - whose name means "one who draw forth," or
"is drawn from," that is, from the water - was the pinnacle of the lovers
of wisdom, the supremely wise lawgiver, the most ancient historian of all.
He was of the tribe of Levi, the son of Amram and Jochabed (Num. 26:59).
He was born in Egypt in the seventeenth century before Christ. While
yet a babe of three months, he was placed in a basked made of papyrus and
covered with pitch, and cast into the streams of the Nile for fear of the
Pharaoh's decree to the mid-wives of the Hebrews, that all the male children
of the Hebrews be put to death.

He was taken up from the river by Pharaoh's daughter, became her adopted son, and was reared and dwelt in the King's palace for forty years. Afterward, when he was some sixty years old, he fled to Madian, where, on Mount Horeb, he saw the vision
of the burning bush. Thus he was ordained by God to lead Israel and
bring it out to the land of Egypt. He led Israel through the Red
Sea as it were dry land and governed the people for forty years.

He wrote many signs and wonders, and wrote the first five books of the
Old Testament, which are called Pentateuch. When he reached
the land of Moab, he ascended Mount Nabau, on the peak called Phasga, and
there, by divine command, he reposed in the sixteenth century before Christ,
having lived for some 120 years. The first two Odes of the Old Testament,
"Let us sing to the Lord" and "Attend, O heaven, and I will speak," were
written by him.

Of these hymns, the first was chanted by the shore
of the Red Sea as soon as the Israelites had crossed it; the second, in
the land if Moab, a few days before his repose. The Holy High
Priest Aaron was the elder brother of the Holy Prophet Moses.
He was appointed by God to serve as the spokesman of Moses before the people,
and also before Pharaoh, in Egypt. Afterwards, in the wildness, he
was called to the ministry of the high priesthood, as narrated in the books
of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers in the in the Old Testament. The
name Aaron means "enlightened." . (Source: "The Great Horologion", Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, Massachusetts., 1997, p. 242).

If you would like to have more information about both the Holy Prophets
Moses and Aaron, please write to :

You can also write to Holy Transfiguration Monastery at 278 Warren Street, Brookline, Massachusetts 02146. The Holy Transfiguration Monastery has holy icons of both Holy Prophets Moses and Aaron available. You can contact the Monastery by phone at 1-800-227-1629.

For further readings on the lives, times, and sayings of the sixteen
writing Prophets of the Old Testament order from: Holy Apostles Convent,
P.O.Box 3118, Buena, Vista, Co. 81211 or visit the web site at http://www.BuneaVistaCo.com/GOC. The title of the book is: "Lives of the Holy Prophets", $39.50 plus $3.50
shipping.

The Dormition Skete also has available icons of the Holy
Prophets Moses and Aaron. You can order the Holy icons from Dormition Skete Icons, P.O.Box 3177, Buena Vista, Co. 81211.

For further reading on Prophet Moses please read the book by St. Gregory
of Nyssa: "The Life of Moses". Translation, introduction and
notes by Abraham J. Malherbe and Everett Feguson, preface by John Meyendorff.
Published by Paulist Press, 1978, New York. This book as well can
be purchased at Holy Cross Bookstore in Brookline, Massachusetts.

(Source: The Dimissal Hymn (Troparion) and Kontakion for the Holy Prophets
Moses and Aaron is from Horologion published by Holy Transfiguration
Monastery, Brookline, Massachusetts).